Ah, the football transfer market. The place where managers sharpen their negotiating skills and clubs compete to offload players that they no longer want. Manchester United’s near manager, Erik ten Hag, has struck a similar tone to his Old Trafford predecessors. Yup, Ralf Rangnick, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and Jose Mourinho all expressed wishes to shake things up by making sales as much as making signings. Ah, the classic spring cleaning of a football squad. The question is whether Ten Hag will be able to find more success than his predecessors did when it comes to opening the exit door for those he feels he can do without. Only time will tell, am I right?

Now, now, don’t roll your eyes just yet. There have been some encouraging signs in the Dutchman’s debut season. The Carabao Cup won in February was United’s first trophy for six years, the FA Cup semi-final against Brighton tomorrow (Sunday) represents another chance of silverware and Champions League qualification looks assured via the Premier League with eight games to go. Although, let’s be honest, they did make everyone choke with their performance in going out of the Europa League quarter-finals away to Sevilla on Thursday. So soon after concerning losses at Liverpool and Newcastle, the fans are left wondering how much work still needs to be done to raise United to a team once again capable of challenging consistently for the game’s major titles. Fingers crossed, folks. Fingers crossed.

For a manager with clearly defined principles, it takes time to reshape a squad so it includes only players of the suitable profile. Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp got their teams to those places but have each been at Manchester City and Liverpool for seven full seasons. Mikel Arteta is beginning to see the same now, and he has been in charge of Arsenal for more than three years. Building squads is also about getting rid of those who do not fit the desired characteristics as well as signing players who do. Since arriving from Ajax last summer, Ten Hag has constructed his team using players signed under five different managers and several will not align with his ideal style of football. Are they the best players to build from the back? Can the full-backs invert to get on the ball? Is the striker someone who drops to link play? Does the central midfielder like to pick up possession from his centre-backs then drive forwards? Ten Hag is pragmatic and has made tactical adjustments in his debut campaign, but these are the nuances that could allow his systems to flourish. Ah, the sweet sound of a plan coming together. Don’t you just love it?

Ten Hag is aware that to take his team to the next iteration he needs to raise funds to help make big signings. United have a first-team squad of 31, with eight more out on loan, so there is plenty of slack there. But is there much value, and can executives extract it? Now, folks, here’s the real kicker: United have goalkeeper Dean Henderson, who represents a player in his prime years with extensive Premier League experience and could attract a significant fee this summer. His United contract runs to 2025, with the option of an extra year. Two clubs have made approaches, and all parties would prefer a sale instead of Henderson being backup to David de Gea next season, although no firm decisions have yet been made. The drama, it’s too much to handle.

Up front, Anthony Martial is now 27, an optimum age, but is fading from influence. He has played an average of 26 games per season in the past three years, and many of those have been substitute appearances. Sevilla could only afford to borrow Martial for the second half of last season because United’s co-owner Joel Glazer waived the loan fee. The Spanish club then had no plans to make the move permanent. On paper, Martial looks like a player with value — a France international with 60 Premier League goals to his name — but in reality, it could be tough to find a club willing to pay the money. Ouch, that’s a harsh reality check.

On the more viable side of potential outgoings, Newcastle have serious interest in Scott McTominay, while Ten Hag has been open to selling Aaron Wan-Bissaka. Both are good ages, 26 and 25 respectively, and could command solid fees. Business talk, ladies and gentlemen. It’s all about the money.

United getting good prices for their players is about striking at the right moments, having good relationships with the relevant people, and making calls based on football. Releasing Cristiano Ronaldo in November was a case of sporting merits taking precedence over commercial interests — and saved many millions in wages, too — but they could have taken more assertive action last summer. They also missed out on a fee for Jesse Lingard when his value was high two years ago after a successful loan spell at West Ham because then-manager Solskjaer was reluctant to let him leave due to doubts about United’s ability to recruit a replacement. Yikes, that’s a gamble that didn’t pay off.

Manchester City, on the other hand, are excellent at refreshing their squad by letting players leave. Guardiola may have enhanced now-title rivals Arsenal by selling Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko to his former assistant Arteta last summer, but it also means there is competitive tension in City’s squad. Lethargy is not allowed to set in. City also made £77million in the process. United has made a profit on just four players in the past decade, and even then the numbers are marginal. Oof, that’s got to hurt.

Now, it’s time for United to get things rolling. The next market is pivotal. And let’s hope Ten Hag’s spring cleaning is more effective than your grandma’s. No offense, grandma.

Serious News: nytimes